[The first Written Answer should have been published on 6 July with HL854 in col. WA 92.]subhdCommon Agricultural Policy: Rural Development Support

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Available information for England and Wales for 2003 on the number of fixed penalty notices and court fines ordered to be paid for the new offence (introduced as from 1 December 2003) of driving while using a hand-held mobile telephone is given in the table. Data for 2004 will be available in early 2006.The information requested is not currently available for Scotland. The most up-to-date prosecutions data currently held by the Northern Ireland Office are those for 2003. The offence of using a hand-held mobile phone while driving was not introduced in Northern Ireland until 1 February 2004. Use of a hands-free mobile phone is not part of the new offence.
	
		Fixed penalty notices and court proceedings data for the offence of use of hand-held mobile phone while driving 1 , England and Wales 2003 -- Number of offences
		
			  Type of action 
			  Court proceedings 2   Fixed Penalties  
			 Police Force Area Totalfindings ofguilt Amount offines (£) Number oftickets 3 Estimated revenue (£)(4) 
			 England and Wales (5)1 30 1,888 56,640 
		
	
	1 Offences under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, Regulations 110 (1), 110 (2) and 110 (3). Introduced 1 December 2003.
	2 Includes cases where fixed penalty notices were originally issued but not paid and subsequently referred to court.
	3 Only covers tickets paid where there is no further action.
	(4) Estimate based on fixed penalty charge of £30.
	(5) In the month of December 2003.